Fayyad Inaugurates First Water Dam in Palestine – WAFA

RAMALLAH, April 16, 2012 (WAFA) – Prime Minister Salam Fayyad inaugurated Monday stage one of the first water dam to be built in Palestine at a cost of over $1 million, according to a statement issued by Fayyad’s office.

It said that on a visit to the village of Ouja and the Jordan Valley, Fayyad inaugurated the Ouja Dam, which he said is one of the projects to develop Area C that falls under full Israeli control and which makes more than 60% of the West Bank.

“Our non-stop efforts to develop the area known as Area C and every inch of our country aim mainly to benefit from our resources, mainly our water resources,” he said.

He said that building the Ouja Dam is proof that “we will not be deterred by unfair classifications and names.”

He said that he will not wait for Israeli permission to allow him to develop that area of Palestine, stressing that “this is our land and it is our natural right to develop this area and to serve our people living here.”

He stressed that the Jordan Valley is part of the occupied Palestinian territory and a vital part of the future independent state of Palestine.

The Islamic Development Bank contributed $1 million toward developing stage one of the Ouja Dam and the Palestinian Authority paid over $30,000 toward that end. Work will now start on stage two of the project.

Fayyad condemned the Israeli army assault against Palestinian and international activists who wanted to hold a bicycle tour of the Jordan Valley area last week to show support for the Palestinians living in that area.

He said an Israeli army officer attacking with his rifle a Danish activist, which was widely covered by the media, is what happens to the Palestinian people on daily basis, urging the media to also cover these assaults.
Fayyad said there are 225 projects in the Jordan Valley area worth $60 million of which 170 projects were completed.
M.S.